Buy E.I. du Pont

When you can’t grow revenues—and it’s tough to do that if you’re a chemical company in a recession—cut costs. In 2009 E.I. du Pont’s (DD) savings from the cost cutting program the company initiated in 2008 should come to about $1 billion. The one really bright spot for du Pont is sales in the company’s agriculture and nutrition segment. In the second quarter earnings in that segment grew by 15%, powered by a 21% increase in seed sales. The company reports third quarter earnings on October 20. The yield as of October 14 2009 was 4.8%.